Collapsible container



Nov. 8, l1927. 1,648,045

A. N.Y ElTsr-:RT

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Jan, l5. 1926 l referto similar parts throughout the severaly Patented Nov.. d, i927.

'ALBERT N. EITSERT, OF -IINNEAPOLS, VMINNIESOlIA.

' coLLArsinLn CONTAINER.

Application sied January 151926. sriai no. 81,404.

This invention relates to collapsible coni tainers adapted for wide general usage and especially applicable for egg crates, grocery boites and shipping crates for poultry `and vegetables. y i

The main object of the invention is to provide a simplebut highly ecient'collaps ible box orvother container which may be quickly set up and collapsed, the walls of which may be securely locked and rigidly held together when the device is set up.

lt isa further object to provide such a device having hinged side and endv walls capable of being collapsed in compact form, means beingk provided for readily swinging said walls into proper position for rigidly rlocking the same together.

A more specific object of theinvention is vto provide collapsible container having hinged end walls provided with means for limiting the outwardly swung position thereor' and slid-ably hinged side walls adapted to be l swung to vertical `position within said end walls and rigidly secured thereto by cooperatingparts adapted to interlock when said side walls are swung to vertical `position and raised or slid upwardly.

A. still further object of the invention is to so construct such a device that the same will not slide on a supporting surface and that a plurality of said boxes-or containers may be piled one upon 'the other both in set up and collapsed positions.

AThese and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description madein connection with the accompanying drawings wherein likev characters views, and iiiwhich y l Figure l, is a side elevation, kwith some parts broken away, of an embodiment of the invention in set up position. n i

Figure Q 'is a siderelevation ofthe device iii collapsed position. y l y Figure 8 is a vertical crosssection taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure/l is a detailed vertical section on a larger scale, showing the inter-engagementy oli the cooperating fastening members ein-` ployed to secure the several walls in upright operative position.

' formed. box.

ln the embodiment of the invention illus-y trated a substantially rectangular bottom is indicated by the numeral 5 having relative-ly wide upturned end flanges 6 and relatively narrow upturned side flanges 7. lt will-be noted that end flanges 6 extend slightly at` an oblique angle to the bottom 5, the purpose of which will later be' described, and that, the upper edges of said flanges are rolled aboutwires or rods formingthe beads 6a. The end walls 8 are provided at theirsides i with inturned flanges 8a, the lower eXtremities of which are hinged by pivots 9 to the inturned portions of theend flanges 6. 1 The bottom edges of ends 8 are rolled about wires or rods to form the horizontal beads 8b adapted to abut againstbeads 46a when saidend `walls are swung to substantially vertical position. form stop members for maintaining the ends of ythe boit in proper set up position.

Thus,4 beads 6a and 8b p The upper edges of end walls 8 are bent i inwardly uponV themselves, then outwardly. at an anglevand again inwardly to alord angular shoulders `8C adapted to supportand`V engage the bottom Handles 10 are hinged adjacent the upper edge of ends 8. Rectangular side walls ll `are provided having a pair of rectangularrecesses"11a cut through the bottom portions thereof.`

Upwardly projected hinge elements l2 provided with vertical slots are secured to the side flanges Z of bottom 5, being aligned` with said recesses lla in the bottom portions oi"- sides ll. A rod 13 or other suitable pivot member is secured .to the bottom edges of sides ll traversing recesses 1land passing through hinge elements 12. .The sides ll are thus slidably hinged to the side flanges 7 of bottom 5 and obviously swing within end walls 8. The upper edges ofsides 11 are bentsimilaily to the upper edges of endsS to ormtlie rangular shoulders 11c extending inthe sameplane with anges 8 when the sides are set `up in operative position.

lThe inturned flanges 8a of theends limit the outward swinging movement of sides l1,

thereby maintaining the side walls in proper of another similarly vertical position. Fastening members in the rswung inwardly against bottom form of studs 14 are secured to inturned flanges 8a of the container ends project-ing inwardly and horizontally when the ends are set up. Cooperating fastening members are formed adjacent the side edges of sides 11 by inverted keyhole slots 15 adapted to be aligned with studs 14 when the walls are raised. It will be noted that the studsV 14; have tapered heads,rpermitting easy engagement with slots 15.

Longitudinal rails or corrugations 16 are formed on the underside of bottom disposed in spaced parallel arrangement and operative to support said container and prevent the same/from sliding on a supporting surface.

l Operation.

The operation of the device is probably obvious from the foregoing :description but may be briefly summarized as follows:

In collapsed position the side walls are 5 and the end walls swung inwardly on the upper side of sides 11, substantially covering the same. When it is'desired to set up the container the end walls are first swung to substantially vertical position, the beads 8" and 6a` limiting the outward position thereof. lhe sides 11 are then swung outwardly into engagement with the inturned flanges 8a of end walls 8. Sides 11 are then slightly lifted in the vertical slots formed by hinged members 12, whereupon the tapered heads of studs 14C will be inserted through the largerV or lower portions of slots 15. The sides may then be dropped', studs 14 slipping into engagement with the narrow portions of slots 15, thereby securely L nd rigidlylockin'g the walls in upright operative position;

This operation is accomplished in about 'two seconds, it beingonly necessary to swing the walls andslightly raise the sidesand drop the same.v Since the end flanges 6 of bottom 5 are bent 'at a slightly oblique angle the end walls will extend in planes slightly on the outer side of the end edges of the lbottom 5. Thus, the bottom of a second con. .tainer o r box may be seated in the flanges. 8c

and l1?c formed adjacent the top edges of thev several walls.

Y In this way several boxes may be piled one upon the other, the longi- 1 tudinal corrugations 16 serving to prevent the boxes from slipping apart.`

It is of course obvious thatif desired aV Vtop may be supplied for the .container ofany Y suit-able form. lThe form ofthe invention illustrated isespecially adapted for use as a collapsible grocery box but the `invention is of course equally applicable to crates, poul- Y try'coops, shipping cases and vall forms of i collapsible centainers.

It .will ofcoursebe understood `that various changes may be made in the for1 n details, proportions and.

arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A collapsible container having in coinbination a bottom, two pairs of oppositely disposed walls hinged to said bottom, one pair of said walls being slidably hinged thereto, and having retaining means adjacent the side edges thereof, retaining means adjacent the side edges of said other pair of walls adapted to lock with said first mentioned retaining means after said walls have been swung to substantially vertical position, and said slidable pair lifted and thereafter lowered.

2. A collapsible container having in combination a bottom, a pair of oppositely dis,- posed walls hinged to -said bottom having inturned portions constituting retaining means extending from the side edges thereof, a. second pair of oppositely disposed walls hinged to said bottom ,having retaining means adjacent the side edges thereof, one pair of said walls being capable of slidable movement on its hinge, said first mentioned retaining means being adapted to engage the side edges of said second mentioned pair of Walls and Y adapted to interlock with said second meir to engage the edges of said sides when said walls are set up, said sides and flanges on said ends having stud and slot engagement whereby said walls may be rigidly secured together after being swung to substantially vertical position and after said sides are slidably lifted and then lowered.

4. A collapsible box having in combination a substantially rectangular bottom provided with 11p-turned end and side flanges, lends hinged to said end flanges and swingable inwardly, hinge elements secured to said side flanges having vertical slots therein, sides having hinge elements adjacent their bottom edges working in said slots, inturned flanges on the side edges of said ends adapted to engage -the edges of said sides to limit the eutward swingable movement thereof, fastening means on the inner sides of said flanges and cooperating fastening means adjacent the'sideedges of said sides adapted to lock with said first mentioned fastening members after said sides have been swung'outwardly and slid upwardly and then dow-nwardly. Y

5.V A collapsible container having in combinzition 1 bottoni, a pair of oppositely dis- `the side edges thereof with inverted keyhole posed` inwardly swingable Walls hinged to slots whereby said Walls may be locked rig- 10 said bottoni and a pair of oppositely disposed idly together in upright position after said Walls swingable Within said irst pair of slotted Walls are slid upwardly to engage said Walls and slidably hinged ilo-said bottom, instuds and then dropped.

turned flanges on said first mentioned pair In testimony Whereofheaixes his signa-v of Walls carrying fastening studs thereon, ture.

said second Walls being provided adjacent ALBERT N. EITSERT. 

